The Lao National Sports Committee held a test run of the SEA Games welcoming ceremony last Tuesday.

Female students from the National University of Laos practised holding placards bearing the name of each of the 11 participant nations, to welcome the athletes at the start of their stay at the SEA Games Village from December 9 to 19.

Some 300 volunteers and liaison staff from the National University of Laos took part in the exercise.

The test run started at Wattay International Airport and continued at the SEA Games Village .

Sports committees and officials from the university, who will work during the games, also attended the practice event.

SEA Games Organising Committee Vice Chairman Dr Souvannarath Saignavong said the sports committee would be able to improve the welcoming ceremony after analysing the first practice session.

On November 26, the sports committee will hold the final practice session.

It will do a test run of the flag raising ceremony at the SEA Games Village on Thursday.

Practising the welcome ceremony will test public security and transportation.

Dr Souvannarath said it was very important because Lao leaders and athletic teams would be able to see how Laos will welcome other athletes at the village.

He said male and female speakers would be careful to pronounce the name of each country accurately.

During training at the village, Lao dancers practised their performance to welcome the athletes.

Vice Mayor of the village Ms Keomanivong Phimmasen said athletes from six countries would stay at the village.

There are 77 coaches and athletes from Brunei , 389 from Indonesia , 376 from Singapore , 829 from Thailand , 667 from Malaysia and 612 from Laos .

Mrs Keomanivong said the number of athletes from the five other countries would be confirmed by the sports committee this week.

The Lao National Sports Committee (LNSC) will raise the flags of the 11 participating countries at a ceremony to honour the 50th anniversary of the SEA Games Federation Committee at the SEA Games Village on December 8.

More than 4,000 athletes staying at the SEA Games Village are set to arrive in Vientiane in time for the ceremony. The village consists of eight 4-storey dormitories.

The flag raising ceremony for the 50th anniversary of the SEA Games Federation will be an important event.

This ceremony indicates that the athletes of the 11 countries have arrived at the village and will start preparing for the games.

As the host country Laos will stage performances and other activities on the opening night.